Taking Pride of Place: Collector’s Editions, Statues and Million Dollar Games

In all honesty, it doesn’t always take much for me to part with my hard earned cash, the untouched games gathering dust on my shelves at home are a testament to that. One thing I do love, though, besides games, is their memorabilia. I have t-shirts and pop figures dedicated to various games I love, but my absolute favourite thing currently lining my shelves at home are figurines or statues from a favourite game. These amazing items often come from collector’s editions of games, and usually are pretty hefty in price, so it can be quite a commitment to buy one. Some collector’s editions keep it fairly simple, with soundtracks, fancy cases and statues, whereas others approach it slightly differently, forcing you to part with large amounts of money.

We take a look at some of the more memorable collector’s editions that have been, or will be, around to have pride of place on your gaming shelf.

Sonic Mania Collector’s Edition

Sonic was pretty much my whole childhood. My Dad and I would sit for hours on the original when I was little, with the Megadrive hooked up to our tiny TV in the kitchen, and then eventually my sister and I would spend hours on the second one. With the announcement of Sonic Mania, a whole group of Sonic fans cheered, and when the Collector’s edition was revealed on top of that, it made everyone squeal with delight. Originally only releasing in America, us good old people in Europe have now been included, and will be able to buy it in Spring 2017.

Whilst the game itself is actually only a downloadable code, the additional items that come with the edition are more than noteworthy. Not only is there a rather adorable statue of Sonic stood atop a Megadrive (or Genesis for our American cousins), you also get a replica Megadrive cartridge of the game with a golden ring hidden inside. If that isn’t enough to make a Sonic fan smile, then I don’t think anything will.

Image: SonicTheHedgehog.com

Catherine – Love is Over Collector’s Edition

Although this may not be a well-known game to many, Catherine is a thoroughly unique yet enjoyable game. It sees you playing as a man named Vincent, choosing between two women named Catherine and Katherine, and ultimately doing so by climbing endless towers of blocks. If you are looking for something a bit more unique with your special edition, then look no further. Catherine offers you everything from boxers to pillowcases and a pretty nifty t-shirt too. While there’s no statue on offer here, the utterly random and bizarre items included in this edition make it pretty memorable, but unfortunately the chances of finding one now would be pretty slim. This “Love is Over” edition was only produced for as many as were pre-ordered, so if you have one already then count yourself lucky.

Image: Catherine Wiki

Halo 5 Guardians Limited Collector’s Edition

With the game itself being a turning point after the (some would say) disappointing instalment that was Halo 4, Halo 5 Guardians brought the Halo series back to the point it maybe should have been at. If you buy your collector’s editions for the statue, then this is definitely a must buy. Whilst it actually doesn’t include a physical disc, rather a download code for the base game, there’s a ginormous statue for you to get your hands on. Master Chief and Spartan Locke in the midst of battle is definitely one of the most impressive statues I’ve ever seen, and on top of that, you also get a miniature paper model to build yourself and a nice bit of reading material.

Halo 5 Guardians Limited Collector’s Edition will require you to part with a fair bit of money (£130 on release, although less now if you’re lucky), the statue alone is definitely worth paying for, and can take centre stage in your bedroom (if you have a shelf big enough to hold it). I recently purchased this myself and can confirm how impressive the statue is, but unfortunately, mine arrived broken leading to an angry email to UK retailer, GAME.

Image: GAME.co.uk

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Collector’s Edition

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was such a big release for Bethesda when it launched in 2011 and has since had the remastered version released for the current gen consoles, causing us to fall in love with the game all over again. The stand out item in Skyrim‘s collector edition was obviously the Aludin statue, that sees the dragon stand atop of a dragon wall, which will be familiar to all players of the game. To accompany that is a beautiful art book and a DVD showing some special behind the scenes footage of how the game was created. I queued up outside GAME at midnight waiting for Skyrim to release, and as I walked out with my normal edition, I couldn’t help but be jealous as I saw people picking up their collector’s edition. Obviously, the price was a little higher than the majority of people would want to pay for a game, but it’s always worth keeping your eye out for these editions on offer, especially if you wait a year or two after the game’s release.

Image: Amazon

Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition

Moving from a dragon infested world to a wasteland where danger lurks at every corner, Bethesda has a habit of blowing our minds with games, as well as impressive collector’s editions to go with it. The pip-boy is an iconic piece of equipment from the Fallout games, that accompanies you from the start of your journey right to the very end, so what better way to get people to buy a collector’s edition than giving them the chance to own a real life pip-boy that really works. Displayed in an impressive capsule case, not only do you get the pip-boy and the game, but also a stand to put it on when you’re not wearing it, a special metal game case, a poster and a handy guide for the pip-boy itself.

The only question you really need to ask yourself is, just how cool will you look with a pip-boy on your arm? Obviously, the answer is….very.

Image: PlayStation Lifestyle

And finally, the collector’s edition to beat all others….

Saints Row IV: Million Dollar Pack

Sometimes collector’s edition are big and impressive, sometimes it’s quality over quantity, and every so often, they are just ridiculous. Do you have a spare $1,000,000 in your pocket or under your bed? If you do, consider purchasing the special edition of Saints Row IV, otherwise known as the Million Dollar or Super Dangerous Wad Wad edition. There was only one of these made available for purchase, and when you see what’s included it’s easy to understand why. Besides the actual game itself, the bizarre extra things you have to use here are – a space flight, a supercar, a holiday to Dubai, plastic surgery, a dubstep gun, a holiday to America, another car (because everyone needs 2 cars, right?) a spa day, and that’s not even all of it. With only one of these being available, was anyone crazy enough to purchase it? A quick search on the internet tells you probably not, so those of you with a spare million lying around, get ready to fight it out!

Megan is a game news writer and reviewer, who has been playing games since Sonic the Hedgehog back on the Sega Megadrive. She lives in Manchester working in a hospice kitchen, hoping to get a flat and move out sooner rather than later!